President Obama and Andrew Cuomo Bond Over Silicon Wafers

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Obama and Cuomo stare at things. We won't say they're mundane things. But they are things. Photo: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/GettyImages

President Obama visited the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering in Albany today, where he made a speech touting the kind of public-private partnerships that made the trailblazing college possible. But in addition to making a point about the government’s role in spurring employment — which, come on, he could have done basically anywhere — one suspects that earning a heartfelt seal of approval from Andrew Cuomo was a factor in Obama’s decision to visit this most unswingiest of states. "There is no doubt this nation, this state, went through hard times," Cuomo said, introducing Obama. "Your leadership has brought this nation through the storm, and we thank you … We are on the other side." Obama’s leadership, or lack thereof, on gay marriage didn’t comeup.